Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on May 31

Ireland is a country of hidden gems - and there are a whole host of ancient sites for you to look at in awe!

It’s not just shamrocks and Guiness that you will see in this amazing country - there are years and years of history to be found here as well.  And I have put a few of them together here to whet your appetite.

So, let’s get started here with the most amazing and mystical, across some rocks, and through to the political!

1) Newgrange: Southern Ireland
This huge enclosed ‘temple’ is coated in a glowing casing of white - and can be seen from some distance away.

According to Celtic lore, the legendary Kings of Tara were buried here, but excavations have proved otherwise - putting this megalithic structure at over 5200 years old!  That’s older than the pyramids of Egypt!

With an entrance tunnel to funnel the morning sunlight into the centre of the structure at a certain time of year - it is completely unique.  There is apparently nothing else in the structure apart from this ’sun funnel’!

2) The Giant’s Causeway: Northern Ireland
You must have seen a picture of these amazing rock formations - and they have set off many an amazing legend of their origins due to their bizarre appearance on the northern coast.  Protruding out into the sea and bashed by the waves all day everyday - but why are they there?

No words can really do them justice, but they are crooked plateaus of (mainly) hexagonal rocks completely vertical in the ground.  They have all eroded over time - but at different rates, so they look like some sort of giant board game - with around 37,000 columns! 

3) Blarney Castle: Southern Ireland 
Visitors from all over the world (like me) travel to this small castle to see the Blarney Stone.  Luck is apparently bestowed on all those who kiss it - but they don’t tell you that it is susspended away from the main castle wall and that you have to lay on your back hanging off the wall to kiss it!

The history of the Stone is engrained in the ‘wars’ between England and Scotland over this historically important stone - well, according to myths and legends.  But there are some great caves and gardens around the Castle.  Well worth stopping off.

Of course there are plenty of other great sites here, and these are just 3 of my favourites as highlights!

Go there yourself - and find your own best bits!

posted by Travel Cat on May 26

It is really easy these days to get information on any type of travel - so why not try something completely different! 

Imagine being in the absolute middle of nowhere - places that noone else you know has ever seen. places that aren’t even on your friend’s list of places to see this year - or in the next 10 years - like shark-watching 10,000 miles east of Australia, or watching a hit movie just miles from the Antarctic?

You want this?  If so - you need to get yourself on a cargo ship.  You can find them heading out around the world every day of the year from almost every big port in the world!

Now I know that doesn’t sound appealing to everyone - but the things you see will certainly be ‘once in a lifetime’.  Imagine the adventure of being 3 months at sea! Or sailing through the Panama Canal - and out past remote uninhabited Pacific Islands.

The Ultimate Vacation?
It could really be a vaction like nothing you have ever done before - or are likely to do again!

Of course it doesn’t have to be that long a time away, and you can choose some routes that are a lot closer to land and stop of at some pretty nice looking destinations along the way.   And you don’t need to stay onboard for the entire journey - you can hop off at any port along the way and just see where life takes you.

Those less adventurous might want to know exactly where they are going in advance - but that’s OK too - as the ship’s cargo has to go from A to B - that’s the whole point of them crossing the oceans in the first place - so you can guarantee a definite stopping point at the end - whereas you can’t always guarantee a stopping point in the middle!

Maybe you would prefer a trip from the UK to Australia like in the pioneering days of exploration - thankfully there is luxury these days, and it only takes around 84 days rather than the 6 months it probably took the average passenger a few hundred years ago!

Or maybe the 2 month trip from South America to the Far East, the 35 day trip from the US to the Mediterranean, or even the 7 day voyage around the British Isles checking up on all the lighthouses!

The Result:
Well, rather than telling your travel stories like everyone else - ‘when I was in Mexico…..’ or ‘when my family went to Hawaii’ - you can start your story with how many continents you cruised past, or how many miles you traveled in 1 day!

It will certainly be like nothing you have ever experienced before.  The people you will meet, the countries you will encounter - and the extreme weather you could get to witness first hand!  Imagine writing a travel journal of your voyage - just like Darwin did!

It might be worth trying out a few shorter boat journeys before you settle for something long-haul - as if you get seasick, this might not be the vacation for you!

Of course, check that your travel insurance covers your whole journey, and your passport is valid for the whole time you are away - and your vaccinations are current for all countries you might stop off at on the way.  Bad weather or maintenance could land you at any time in any country - so be prepared!

If you are still interested, then visit GeoCities Freighter for other peoples experiences on Cargo Ships and read their tips before booking your own once-in-a-lifetime ‘mega-cruise’. 

posted by Travel Cat on May 20

Having been trying to learn a new language for the past few months, I have tried a few different courses along the way.

They both had very different approaches for beginners, yet both seem to work well for my style of learning. So below I have put together a quick review of each one to see if they could be of use to you too!

Course 1: Pimsleur Language Program: Quick And Simple Course.
Format: 4 Language CD’s - plus 1 CD for Course Introduction.

Style:
This course was all about the listening and repeating of parts of the language.  For example, the narrator would say listen to the following conversation (conversation in the new language), than you would repeat sections of it out loud to such an extent that you would then be able to string simple words together, and then string these sentences together in a conversation similar to the original one.

There were 8 courses as part of this introductory course, but they were all quite similar in content.  So as a result, I didn’t really learn a whole lot of actual ‘new words’ throughout the 2 days it took me to complete it - however I did complete the course quite easily, and felt very confident with the words and phrases I had learned.

Overall: 5/5 

Course 2: Teach Yourself Instant ‘Whatever’: Holiday Basics.
Format: 1 Small Paperback Book - Accompanying CD is optional.

Style:
This course was used completely visually, so you did need a basic knowledge of pronunciation before setting off into Unit 1!You could get a copy of the accompanying CD if you wanted which plays out the conversations, but none of the exercises rely on the verbal content.

Basically, you are given 6 Units to complete.  Each Unit starts with a full page conversation in the new language on the left page and an identical conversation on the right page in English, so you can instantly see what you have been saying.  After the conversation part, you get a few basics on grammar and translations as well as several short exercises, followed by the Unit Test at the end. All answers are in the back of the book as well as some cut out and keep double-sided flash cards - which are great fun!

The problem with this course was that although I easily completed it and had great fun along the way, I had actually just learnt all the new words as part of the sentences - basically like learning words to a play.  So I could complete the exercises only by remembering where the words where on the page rather than actually learning what the words were on their own.  And, after several attempts at the course - I actually managed to memorise the answers as well!

Overall: 4/5

posted by Travel Cat on May 14

If you have a family - then make sure you get involved in Family Week 2010 - May 21st to June 6th.

There are plenty of things you can do locally or nationally for this week of fun and frolics - and it will keep the kids entertained over the holidays!

Although this event is being pushed in the UK mainly, there is no reason why you can’t get involved wherever you are, as it is basically a celebration of all that is family.  Whether that means just your close family, aunties and uncles, grandparents, stepparents, cousins and friends - all are welcome!

There is a basic structure to the week - if only to give people an idea or 2 to get started - but obviously you can do whatever you want whenever you want, as long as you get more than just yourself involved.

Try to make it a really big event - as they tend to be more fun - or join another event organised by a larger company, school or charity if there is one close by - check Family Week Guide for some tips and events - or make up your own based on the following:

Monday: Picnic Day
Either at home in the garden so you can have lots of warm food and ice cream - or out in the countryside with blankets and hampers instead!

Tuesday: Film Day
Either a day out and trip to the cinema, a whole evening at home with take-away and popcorn - or a night in the garden with a projector of pale wall!

Wednesday: Story Time
Maybe an afternoon in the garden with a few short stories read out - or a few readers could take on characters with a narrator to hold it all together.  Or a walk around a castle while reading a story set in that exact same place with dressing up!

Thursday: Road Trip
All head off somewhere special in a car or 2 or on a train.  Maybe pick a place you have read about - or find a place that you want to visit year after year as a special family location.

Friday: House Party
Anything goes with this one.  Sleepover, computer games, board games, garden fun, watching films, putting on a play, eating a bar-b-q or whatever you can dream up!

Saturday: Sports Day
If you aren’t already all worn out, then maybe meet up at a local park and put together a list of events that everyone can join in, like 3-legged races and piggy-back rides!

Or just take a camping trip over the weekend, or a city stay during the week,  The choices are endless - just try to do something with the family to make holidays special!

posted by Travel Cat on May 10

Wow - the sunshine has been fantastic this month, and the talk of the big summer vacation is increasing!

But what has everyone already been up to?  Rather than waiting until July and August, many of you are just heading out there anytime and enjoying yourselves.  So let’s hear about some of them so far…..

Jennifer Miner starts of this bunch of articles with her great little story about a family trip to one of the most child friendly spots in Florida.  Take a look at the article and photo’s right here: Universal Studios Orlando Animal Actors on Location Show.

Dee Andrews then comes along with her little story of technology!  When travelling to some of the more remote places in the world - you have to remember that you can’t have all the modern trapping at your finger tips - and what you might have to do to get it there!  So do enjoy My Travails in Gaucin as a warning for your own travels!

This third article is only short - but what a great game!  I’ve never heard of this, but it certainly sound like something that would pass the time - so join Tom Ranieri to read about The Ultimate Travel Game.

One more about a glad-it’s-over car journey from Laurie Thornton with her Tips for Happy Car Trips at And A Mommy In A Pear Tree. She makes it cound so easy!

And finally Sarah Travaglio finds out what it’s like on the other side of the fence once she started traveling with her young son on a plane!  She was one side and now she is the other: Traveling with Kids « Miss Capa Tosta.

Let me know your plans for the next few weeks - and maybe even feature your own articles right here!

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